As a new driver the first lesson is usually the most nerve-wracking one. Even with all the advice of friends and family you are never sure who or what to expect. iLearn will give you some of the pointers about the first lesson, what to expect, what is expected of you and what to do next.
There are a number of things you should make sure you have before taking your first lesson:
The licence is important to have. If you have lost either or both parts of your provisional licence you can apply to get a replacement copy sent out but give yourself around about 10 days to receive it. If you need to apply for a provisional driving licence then you can apply online for it again leaving about 10 days before you apply.
You will need to be able to read a number plate at a distance of 20 meters with or without glasses and this will be one of the first things that your driving instructor will get you to do before you are allowed to move the vehicle.
There is no minimum time that the first lesson should be but we would always advise that the first lesson for a novice driver should be at least 90 minutes long. This ensures you will get enough driving time as the majority of the first lesson is taken up with the introduction to driving. There is a lot of information that your instructor will give you on the first lesson that will form the basis of just about everything you will do as you advance through your lessons. Don't worry though! No-one will expect you to understand everything straight away.
It can be daunting. You're sitting in the driving seat and there in front of you are switches, pedals, gear sticks, the handbrake, lights, dials... Each control has a function. Some you may use rarely (if ever) some will become part and parcel of your everyday driving experience. Your driving instructor will explain what each thing is, how it is usd and what for. Again no-one expects perfection and each car may have a slightly different layout but the basic functions will remain the same.
Mirrors and when to use them is the single most important thing your instructor will teach you. Just about every bit of driving you will do will involve when to use your mirrors and which ones to use. Again, don't panic as your instructor will be helping you along the way with reminders about how and when to use them. The idea is that it will become second nature to you.
Remember the previous part where we were talking about mirrors? This bit is where that information gets put into practice. Your instructor will have you pulling away, possibly changing gear from 1st to 2nd and then learning how to pull over and stop safely. This is the exciting part of any lesson, the point where you start to move the car yourself. If you are in a manual car you may find the instructor just showing you how to get the biting point (the bit where the engine and gearbox start working together and 'tug' or pull the car slightly) and helping you. Don't be afraid of stalling! We all do it, even experienced drivers.
Once you are moving you will find that steering the car isn't quite what you expect. The amount of steer is affected by the speed you are travelling. So controlling your speed is important when approaching corners for two reasons:
At the end of the lesson you and the driving instructor will go through a debrief on the lesson and come up with a few points to cover on the next lesson. It's probably a good idea to book up the next lesson at the end of this one as you will find you get a better choice the further you book in advance.
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*Prices quoted are for automatic driving lessons. Manual driving lesson prices can be found on our driving lessons price list